Arizona silver belt., 1887-09-03
MANUFACTURE OF GOLD LEAF.
Work and Wages of Gold Beaters-some
 Interesting Information.

| Interesting Information.
 Gold leaf is manufactured in about twenty shops in New York and its suburbs. It is estimated that 20, 500 ounces of gold are consumed annually here in making gold leaf. Gold can be beaten 50 thin that it will take 1900 leaves to equal the thickness of the sheet upon which this paper is printed. An ounce can be beaten down to 2,500 leaves three and three, eights inches square.
 At an establishment in Hudson street a reporter was told that the gold is bought of brokers in small ingots, which are melted into bars about quarter of an inch thick. These are rolled into a rib bon as thick as note paper. After passing through the hands of the beatcrs it is put in books, interleaved with manila tissue, and twenty books are put in a package. No dross comes from the gold as it is beaten. but there are ragged edges that drop of. The leaf is used by gilders, bookbinders, dentists and sign painters.
 The wages of gold beaters are $11 a week. A piece hand gets $5 beating. A good one can possibly do two a week, and as many as nine month have been done. Extra is paid if the workman beats the gold below five grains to book. Some can go to four and one-half and even four grains per book.
 ''How thin can you get it?'' a beater in BroOme street EVas asked. @
 ''It is beaten to one tbree-huudTeI- thousandth of an inch Dick ae five grains to the book. If it gets down to four grains it is one ee-hundred-and-sixty- thousandth of an inch. The New York system employs men only, with girls to do the cutting. The German system en- ploys children of 8 or 9. On that system men do tie beating and girls do the prinl- ing and filling.''
 ''How is the gold beaten?"
 ''It is beaten in molds made in London from the intestines of COWS, cleaned and vanished with a secret preparation man. ufactured by Puclridge 6 Nephew, of London. The skins are put in packages of 800 skins each, and three of these molds go to beating.'
 ''How much gold is there in a beat ing?''
 Fifty pennyweights in a beating. The ribbon of solid gold is divided into 170 or 180 pieces, each about an inch square. These are put into a cutch made of French paper four inches square. That is beaten until we get the gold to the edges. It is handled with pincers at that time. It is beaten half an hour. The pieces are then piled twenty on top Of each other. They are then cut in four and doubled over, making 720. They are +Iaz, down. We fill the schoder with those leaves in the middle, and beat it out to the edges. We beat it about two hours, until we draw about ten pennyweights off the schOder.'
 ''Does it have to be kept dry?"
 ''We have to keep the windows shut; but the clutches, schoders and molds take up so much moisture that they have to be put in hot mold to press the moisture out
 ''Does that finish it?"
 ''Oh, no. The leaves are cut again into four with a tool called wagon, making 2,SS0, but the mOlds hold only 2, 700. The mOlds are beaten four hours. at the end of each hour there being what is called a close, when they are heated. Then the beater is through with 1t, and the cutter takes it. This is the only work
 ~ ,l4l f1i5 i J5l iz. Fl if5s, can cut from thirty to siXty-for books a day, at two and half cents a book The leaf when it gets in a book is so thin that it is handled only with the breath. g
 ''How is the work tested?'
 "OnIy with the eye. There is no rule about the business, but it is purely a mat ter of skill and judgment. Tie best is the kind used on glass, which shows all imperfections. 7"
 q notice gold beaters usually work in basements, Why is that?''
 "A firmer blow can be given. If on the first story, there is a jar, which deterior- ates the quality"
 ''Is there any adulteration in the busi- ness?"
 1.-The Germans beat what is called a metal leaf with an alloy. It is sold very cheap. It is oleomargarine of gold leaf, and will tarnish. Much of it is used by bookbinders. D
 "When did the trade start?''
 ''It is very ancient. It is mentioned in the Bible. Gold leaf was used on Solo mons temple. The Chinese beat gold leaf, but it cannot compare Tn quality with American leaf, Some of the China men had trouble with their employers, but they soon ended it. They got the employer into their lodge room, and then one after another took big bite out of his flesh ''-Nnyy- VorI- C,,,,,